Whenever You Call
by Venus5
Summary: Cho falls in love with Harry, but then realises that it's impossible for them to have a relationship. She tries to deny the fact that she loves him, but as she finds out, love will always catch up with you in the end...but sometimes at the ultimate price.
1. Prologue

Whenever You Call  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot.  
  
*~Prologue~*  
  
Love wandered inside  
  
Stronger than you  
  
Stronger than I  
  
And now that it has begun  
  
We cannot turn back  
  
We can only turn into one  
  
I won't ever be too far away to feel you  
  
And I won't hesitate at all  
  
Whenever you call  
  
And I'll always remember  
  
The part of you so tender  
  
I'll be the one to catch your fall  
  
Whenever you call  
  
And I'm truly inspired  
  
Finding my soul  
  
There in you eyes  
  
And you have opened my heart  
  
And lifted me inside  
  
By showing me your self undisguised  
  
I won't ever be too far away to feel you  
  
And I won't hesitate at all  
  
Whenever you call  
  
And I'll always remember  
  
The part of you so tender  
  
I'll be the one to catch your fall  
  
Whenever you call  
  
And I will breathe for you each day  
  
Comfort you through all the pain  
  
Gently kiss your fears away  
  
You can turn to me and cry  
  
Always understand that I  
  
Give you all I am inside  
  
I won't ever be too far away to feel you  
  
And I won't hesitate at all  
  
Whenever you call  
  
Whenever you call  
  
I won't ever be too far away to feel you  
  
And I won't hesitate at all  
  
Whenever you call  
  
And I'll always remember  
  
The part of you so tender  
  
I'll be the one to catch your fall  
  
Whenever you call  
  
Whenever you call 


	2. Chapter 1

Whenever You Call  
  
Written by Venus  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot.  
  
A/N: Okay, here goes! My very first fan fic! Please R+R! (Criticism welcome, just be fair! Anything that would help me become a better author!)  
  
Chapter One  
  
Cho Chang gazed out of the window into the starry sky. She looked up at the stars, picked the brightest one, and wished.wished that she could fly away, wished that she could be freed from the harsh realities of real life. She sighed, and brushed her ebony air behind her ears. It's no good, she thought. Wishes won't change anything. Get back to the real world. She got off the window - sill and got back into her bed, and fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
"Cho! Wake up!"  
  
Cho opened her eyes and the vision and her mother swam into sharper focus.  
  
"Time to get up! We've got a lot to do today. We're going to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies! Come on, get up!"  
  
Her mother left the room. Cho's parents had been doing their best to cheer Cho up since the loss of her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory. Lord Voldemort had murdered Cedric, and even though it had been a year since his death, Cho still felt pangs of sadness. After he had gone, and left her to survive alone in the cruel world, the world just.seemed to stop turning. Nothing seemed real anymore, until one of the many nights in which Cho had pictured his death. Instead of the usual flash of green light and a scream, which seemed to cut like a knife through the darkness of the night, it had been Cedric.Cedric telling her that he wanted her to not, mope around aimlessly, but instead, live life to the full.  
  
"You don't know how long you've got," he had said. "Make the most of it."  
  
Cho got up and started rummaging around her wardrobe. After she had dressed, washed and had breakfast, she stood in the living room by the fireplace. She started to walk towards the fireplace, but suddenly her mother's hand flew out to stop her. Cho stared.  
  
"I shall go first, so that you don't wonder off."  
  
"But mum-!"  
  
"No. I am not risking it. Imagine if some stranger grabbed hold of you and took off with you!"  
  
Cho sighed, exasperated, but knew that there was no point in arguing. Her parents were always like this.so protective. Cho personally thought that they needed to open their eyes. She was a seventeen - year - old witch, about to start her seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Nevertheless, she let her mother step into the fireplace, watching as her mother said,  
  
"Diagon Alley!" and disappearing in a flash of green smoke. After her mother had gone, Cho walked into the fireplace, repeated the same process, and found herself in the busy streets of Diagon Alley.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, a black haired boy with bright green eyes and a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt was sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice - Cream Parlour with a tall red haired boy with freckles and a girl with bushy brown hair Hermione Granger was chatting very animatedly to Ron Weasley about their lessons at school. Ron however, was clearly not listening. He was gazing at Hermione with a glazed over look in his eyes.  
  
".And Professor McGonagall said that we - Ron, are you listening to me?"  
  
Ron suddenly sat up with a jerk, and a blush began to rise in his cheeks, clashing horribly with his hair.  
  
"Er - sorry, what was that?"  
  
Hermione sighed, and shook her head, muttering something like "why are boys so dense?" before turning round to face Harry. Ron did likewise, and both saw that Harry was clearly preoccupied too (A/N: No, not in that way!). Ron cleared his throat. Then coughed. Then coughed a bit louder. And a bit louder. And a bit louder still.  
  
"Er - Harry? Harry? Hello? Earth calling Harry!" said Ron, abandoning the coughing fit.  
  
Seeing that this had no effect whatsoever, he glanced down at the piece of parchment Harry had been doodling on for the past fifteen minutes, and a smirk started to appear on his face when he saw what was on it. Harry had scribbled the same two words on the parchment over and over again. The two words read 'Cho Chang'. Ron sighed, grinned evilly and decided to have a new approach.  
  
"Hey, Harry, look! It's Cho Chang in a bikini!"  
  
Harry's mind suddenly returned from Planet Perfect as his head swivelled round in every direction.  
  
"Where?"  
  
Hermione and Ron laughed hysterically as Harry went red and realised they had fooled him.  
  
"I think you have a lot of explaining to do!" said Ron.  
  
"I very much agree. Soooo.has ickle Harry got a crush?" said a third voice as it and another voice snickered. Harry spun around and saw that it was Ron's older prankster twin brothers, Fred And George.  
  
"Er - hi Fred, George." Said Harry nervously.  
  
"Oh, less of that, we can exchange the niceties later. Come on Harry, spill the goss!"  
  
"What do you mean?" replied an anxious Harry.  
  
"Oh, are you denying it? Come on, we all know it's true! Just look down if you want proof!"  
  
Harry glanced down and saw the parchment. Everyone began to laugh on seeing the look on his face.  
  
"Cho Chang."said Ron thoughtfully. "She's that Chinese one from Ravenclaw isn't she? Yeah, that's her.she plays Quidditch for her house.she's the seeker, isn't she? Oh look, Harry.talk of the devil! Look, there she is now!" and many hands began to push Harry off his chair.  
  
"What're you doing?!" He exclaimed.  
  
"What do you think?" replied the twins with an evil glint in their eyes. "Go on, now's your chance!"  
  
Harry stumbled a little, before pulling himself together and slowly walking up to Cho who was purchasing an ice - cream at the counter.  
  
"Erm - hi, Cho!"  
  
Cho turned around and saw Harry.  
  
"Hi Harry," she replied, smiling, as Harry blushed again. "How're you?"  
  
"I'm alright," said Harry, fighting to gain control of his complexion. "And you?"  
  
"Alright, I suppose," she said with a laugh and sitting down at a table. She took her ice - cream and began to lick it with her tongue, as Harry sat and watched, thinking how cute she looked. She got a whisp of white ice - cream on her nose. Harry, jerking out of his trance, said  
  
"Erm - you've got - er -"  
  
When Cho continued to look confused, Harry got a napkin and wiped it off her nose.  
  
"Oh!" she giggled. "Thanks, Harry."  
  
Harry nodded and grinned. Then,  
  
"Cho! Time to go!"  
  
Cho made a face before replying  
  
"Okay, coming mum! Bye Harry!" she added with a smile. She got up and left, and left Harry sitting at the table with a goofy grin in place.  
A/N: Okay, I know it wasn't very good but it will get better, I promise! Please review!  
  
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	3. Chapter 2

Whenever You Call  
  
Written by Venus  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot.  
  
A/N: Okay, I'm gonna try and put in less A/Ns this time as someone told me that they ruin the flow.anyhoo, there's a bit of ahem - erm, a touch more action in this chappie.please R+R! Also, I have edited the first chapter a bit. For those who don't want to read it again, it's Harry's 6th year and Cho's 7th.  
Chapter 2  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione were preparing to go through the barrier at King's Cross Station to get to Platform 9 ¾. Harry took a deep breath, ran straight at the seemingly solid wall - and two seconds later found himself in front of the gleaming red Hogwarts Express. After dumping his trunk in the luggage compartment, he found a seat with Ron and Hermione. He secretly hoped that this train ride would go a bit better than last year's, in which Draco Malfoy, flanked with his two cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, had appeared, and as usual, set off (or nearly, anyway) a riot. However, his wish wasn't granted as he saw a flash of sleek blonde hair.  
  
"Oh look boys, it's Saint Potter and his faithful sidekicks, Weasel and Mudblood!" He drawled. "Sooo.is Saint Potter going to pull off another amazing stunt and save the day again?" He laughed nastily, and Crabbe and Goyle did a feeble "ha ha". "Perhaps not, now that the Dark Lord's back - and he still hasn't been defeated.after all, Saint Potter didn't manage it last time, did he?"  
  
Harry, who had been clenching his fists and gritting his teeth while Malfoy had been talking, suddenly stopped, dropped his glare from Malfoy, and looked at his shoes. Ron, noticing, went red with anger, and told Malfoy to do something no one in their right mind would say in front of Professor McGonagall. Malfoy, however, just sneered and said vindictively,  
  
"Oh, is the not - so - great Saint Potter going to cry?"  
  
He laughed harshly, and left the compartment. Crabbe and Goyle followed.  
  
"Ignore him, Harry," said Hermione firmly. "Just ignore him.he doesn't know what he's talking about."  
  
"It was my fault though, wasn't it?" Harry said thickly, a tear threatening to fall. He had not cried about Cedric Diggory's death, or anything for that matter that was linked with the events at the end of his 4th year since the night when he had been in the Hospital Wing, being comforted by Mrs. Weasley, Ron's mother. "He's right. If it wasn't for me then he would still be alive and -"  
  
He was interrupted by Hermione, who had slapped him hard across the cheek.  
  
"Where's Harry and who are you?" she sighed. Seeing Harry look blankly at her, she continued " Harry, what is wrong with you? He is talking rubbish, and you know it. Come on! Stop rambling on!"  
  
Harry nodded glumly, but remained silent for most of the journey.  
  
After a few uneventful hours, they arrived at Hogwarts, and settled down in their places and looked expectantly at their plates. After the feast, another surprise was waiting in store for Harry. After the desert plates had been cleared, and everyone was going to their dormitories, Cho came up to Harry and said,  
  
"Harry? If you're free, I was wondering if I could meet you this Saturday by the lake at about 11 o' clock? There's something I want to ask you."  
  
"Oh! Erm - yeah, okay then."  
  
"Are you sure? You are free, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes! I mean," he said, trying to cover up his hasty response, "yeah, sure."  
  
"Okay, great! Thanks, Harry!" she replied, before heading off to her common room.  
  
Ron smirked.  
  
"What did she want?" he said in a tone that clearly meant that he already knew.  
  
"She wants to meet me at the lake on Saturday," replied Harry, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"Oh does she now? Oh, I wonder what she wants." Ron said very sarcastically.  
  
* * *  
  
The week passed fairly quickly, and Saturday came. Harry went down to the lake at the time Cho had suggested, to find that she was already there, staring across the lake, apparently deep in thought. Harry sat down next to her. She jumped, before smiling.  
  
"Hi, Harry."  
  
"Hi Cho. What did you want to ask me?" he inquired, his heart thumping madly.  
  
"I - well, I kind of wanted to ask you how - how Cedric died."  
  
"Oh," said Harry dejectedly, his stomach dropping. "Erm - if you don't mind, why didn't you - ask me before?"  
  
"I don't know.I guess I wasn't really ready. Look, you don't have to," she said, starting to get up.  
  
Harry's mind was racing. Stop her, he thought. Tell her.she deserves that much.  
  
"No, it's okay, I'll tell you," he said, and she sat back down again. Harry too, stared across the lake.it was a sunny day, and the sun's rays hit the waves, making it sparkle and shimmer like diamonds. He took a deep breath, and began to tell her everything, but when he reached the part where Wormtail had drawn out his wand and began to say the incantation for the killing curse, his voice choked and he found that he couldn't carry on.  
  
"It's okay, Harry. I understand," she said quietly.  
  
Harry looked at her face, streaked with tears, and distantly realising that his face also had a tear running down it.  
  
"I'm sorry. You must blame me for everything."  
  
"What makes you say that?" she said sharply. "I don't blame you Harry.why would I? There was nothing you could do." She paused, before suddenly saying, "Why did he leave me Harry?"  
  
Harry couldn't think of anything to say, so he simply wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her. He could feel her breath on his neck, and he did the only thing that seemed right at that moment. He lifted her chin up, and pulled her face towards his.slowly, their lips met.  
A/N: So, what did you think? Please review! The next chappie will be up soon, depending on how many reviews I get. =D 


	4. Chapter 3

Whenever You Call  
  
By Venus  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot.  
  
A/N: All you people may be wondering what I'm doing, involving so many tears, but what I'm trying to do is to portray how Harry and Cho really feel inside. Just imagine you're Harry. The whole world is depending on you, a sixteen-year-old wizard, to save the world again. His parents are gone, he's gone through so much trauma, and I think all he wants to do is to break down and cry, but he can't. he can't afford to collapse because then the rest of the world will too. He has no family except the Dursleys, so he has to rely on his friends a lot (which luckily for him, he has the best friends ever - they're always there to help him, comfort him, etc). Cho - well, I know how Cho feels, because I've experienced it myself. Her parents have very high expectations of her academic ability, are overprotective and don't realise she's growing up. All they think about is her schoolwork and her intelligence. Maybe she feels alone in the world, and maybe that's why she turned to Harry.ok, I'm rambling now. But just think about it. Anyhow.on with the fic! And I want MORE REVIEWS!!!!!!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Harry felt like his entire body was on fire. The kiss was like nothing he had ever experienced before, and her kiss was unlike any other he had ever had.so much feeling, so much thought.all her hopes and all her fears.  
  
You are like a vision in my mind that I can't let go,  
  
Take me by the hand and baby don't say no,  
  
For I want you for my girl and that's no lie,  
  
And if our love is true then our hearts will tie,  
  
Please don't leave me now when I need you more,  
  
All I ask from you is not to walk through that door,  
  
If you think about it once or twice again,  
  
You'll look back and see my heart is in pain,  
  
As I reminisce upon the times we had,  
  
Keeping us together isn't really hard,  
  
For the first time in my life I feel I had fallen in love,  
  
Because you inspire my soul like the stars above,  
  
My only fear is that you'll leave me now,  
  
But I want you for my lady and that's a vow,  
  
You captured my heart with your tender loving care,  
  
But I don't think you could see that all my love was there,  
  
You were a cute imitation of a diamond - a gemstone  
  
So come back and never ever leave me alone,  
  
I have come to the conclusion of love and romance,  
  
And all I know that I m caught up in your love trance.  
  
Cho meanwhile kissed him back willingly. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt with Cedric. When she had been with Cedric, she felt safe and protected, but with Harry, it felt like a roller coaster ride, wild and unpredictable.she felt electricity shooting through her body, her mind in a whirlwind.  
  
Finally, they broke apart. Panting, and their lips were red from their kissing. Suddenly, Cho said,  
  
"Harry, what are we doing?!"  
  
"I dunno. Kissing, I guess."  
  
Cho sighed. Gee, boys are so clueless sometimes, she thought.  
  
"Harry, I don't want to get hurt again. I want to be sure that this isn't some silly little fling. I - I don't want this to end up like it did with Cedric."  
  
"It won't!"  
  
"How can you be sure?"  
  
"Well, I guess I can't really. But we'll have to risk it. Please, Cho. I - I think I love you."  
  
Cho remained silent. Finally, she said,  
  
"I think I love you too."  
  
"So - so is that a yes?"  
  
"I dunno. Yeah, I guess so."  
  
"Really? Great!"  
  
* * *  
  
Harry sped up to Gryffindor Tower. He gave the Fat Lady the password, and entered the common room. He spotted Ron and Hermione having another one of their famous rows. Harry smiled inwardly. It was just so obvious that those two liked each other, but both were just too stubborn to admit it.  
  
"Hey, Ron, Hermione? Guess what?" he yelled over their voices.  
  
"Well if you would just stop being such an ignorant jerk -"  
  
"Me?! Ignorant jerk?!"  
  
"Yes, you, who else!"  
  
"Hello? Hello? Earth calling Ron and Hermione???"  
  
"Argh, I can't stand you sometimes!"  
  
"The feeling is mutual."  
  
"Oh - just - just - ARGH!"  
  
Hermione stomped up towards the girls' dormitories, Ron glaring at her with satisfaction as she went.  
  
"Can you believe her??? First she accuses me of stealing her essay for McGonagall, and then she calls me an ignorant jerk! She is so annoying, can't believe -"  
  
"I asked Cho out today!"  
  
".annoying git, she - WHAT?!"  
  
"I asked Cho out."  
  
"What??? No! Seriously???"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"What did she say?" gasped Ron.  
  
"Well, duh. Yes!!!"  
  
Ron started grinning.  
  
"Good on ya, mate!" as he slapped Harry round the head.  
  
"All we need now is for you and Hermione to realise your feelings for each other and then we'll be laughing!"  
  
Ron choked.  
  
"WHAT???"  
  
Harry smirked.  
  
"Come on Ron, it's so obvious. You like her! You like Hermione!"  
  
"No I don't!" said Ron hotly - and a little too forcefully.  
  
"Ron likes Hermione, Ron likes Hermione!" said Harry in an annoying sing - song voice.  
  
"Shut up! Anyway, even if I did, she'll never like me."  
  
Harry gasped.  
  
"What is this I hear? A confession???"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Oh come on, it's also obvious that she likes you!"  
  
"I - do you think?"  
  
A/N: Hee hee! Lol! Sorry this has taken ages.next chappie will b up soon and if I get enough reviews! Sooo.I WANT REVIEWS AND I WANT THEM NOW!.pleeaase???smiles sweetly Special thanks to Angel, Kim, flipsidedogg and ole'greeneyes for their reviews.thanx! I love u all! (not in that way.lol!)neways.REVIEW!!!! 


	5. Chapter 4

Whenever You Call  
  
A/N: Ok, I know it's been like, AGES since I last updated.sorry! And also, I would like to thank all those people who reviewed. You were all so lovely! It means so much to me, you have no idea.THANK YOU!!! I think Cho Chang in the fifth book was a little.well, over the top. . . but never mind, and anyhow, this is *my* fic! Anyhow, on with the fic!  
  
Oh, and by the way, when I say dress robes I think of it as girls wearing dresses and boys wearing robes.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
October turned into November, bringing bitter coldness and snowstorms that often resulted in half the post owls being blown off course. Ron and Hermione still stubbornly refused to admit their feeling towards each other, while Harry just shook his head and thought to himself how thick those two were when it came to each other. He had long since given up trying to make those two realise their feelings for one another, and decided that they would, one day, realise what they had so stubbornly denied for god - knows - how - long. Meanwhile, Harry had been in three more dates with Cho, all of which had gone reasonably well.  
  
However, at the beginning of December, Professor McGonagall announced some startling news to a shocked class one Transfiguration class.  
  
"There will be a Christmas Ball on the Saturday before term ends. Professor Dumbledore was very keen to have it before term finishes, so that everybody will have the opportunities. Dress robes must be worn, and it will start at 8pm and finish at 12pm. Dinner will also be served there. Like the Yule Ball two years ago, you will need a dance partner. Your partners can be in any year and in any house. And stop looking at me like that, it's only a ball, not the end of the world."  
  
"Oh brother," muttered Ron, as they filed out into the corridor after the lesson. "Does that mean we have to go through the agony of asking a girl to the ball again?"  
  
"I guess," replied Harry. "But hey, at least there are no veelas this time. And anyway, why are you worrying about finding a partner? Have you forgotten what Hermione told you to do at the end of the Yule Ball?"  
  
"Huh? What - oh!" said Ron, comprehension dawning on his face and starting to blush.  
  
"What are you two talking about?" said Hermione, hurrying over to them." Ron, what's wrong?"  
  
"He's just remembering what you told him to do after the Yule Ball, " said Harry, smirking.  
  
"What did I - what are you talking about?"  
  
"Have you forgotten? Never mind, Ron'll fill you in, won't you, Ron?"  
  
"Ron? What is he on about?"  
  
"You - you told me - to - to ask you before someone else does and not as a last resort next time there was a ball!" Ron rambled.  
  
"Wh - oh!" said Hermione, her reaction, copying Ron's.  
  
Harry smirked.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, Harry had worries of his own to think about. He remembered the agony of trying to ask Cho to the ball last time.  
  
"But that was then, you weren't going out with her then, " said Ron consolingly when Harry confided in him what had been on his mind for some time while they entered the Great Hall for dinner.  
  
"Why can't they ask us to the ball instead?" Harry groaned.  
  
"Because that's not the way it works . . . it's just some unwritten rule. This is one of those moments when girls just simply have us begging at their feet, I suppose. Where is Hermione, anyway?"  
  
"In the library . . . why?"  
  
"Because - because I wanted to ask her to the ball!" Said Ron in a great big rush. "There. Happy now?"  
  
"Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes!"  
  
"Oh shut up - hey, where're you going?"  
  
Harry dashed off to tell Ginny and then Fred and George what Ron had just told him. All of them smirked - this was the perfect opportunity to get those two together!  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey! Hey, Cho!"  
  
Harry fought his way across the crowd after the bell had rung. Cho turned around, and smiled when she saw who it was.  
  
"Hi, Harry!"  
  
"Hi. Umm . . . I wanted to ask you something.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Er - do you want to come to the ball with me?"  
  
"Oh! Yeah, sure!"  
  
"Great!" Harry grinned. Just then, Cho was hailed by one of her Ravenclaw friends, so she had no alternative but to go with them. She smiled and waved, before disappearing.  
  
A/N: So, that was another chapter! Hopefully it won't be so long before the next chapter comes up. Please keep reviewing! 


	6. Chapter 5

Whenever You Call  
  
By Venus  
  
Disclaimer: Do you really think that J K Rowling would be writing this sort of rubbish? SHE IS *THE* JK ROWLING!!! OF COURSE NOT!!! My writing is Nothing compared to her, and I DO NOT OWN ANYTHIG!!! Now go away! (Not my reviewers, I meant that for people who think I own this stuff . yeah right)  
  
A/N: thank you to all those people who reviewed!!! It's the summer hols, so that's why I'm updating more often . yay! And to *try* and show all my reviewers my appreciation, I have written a personal message to you! So if you reviewed my last chapter, look for your name here!  
  
Oh, and also, according to one reviewer, I need longer chapters . does anyone agree, or disagree? Please tell me in your reviews! Thanks!  
  
Stephie: There! I have posted!;-) No, I did not write that poem, although I am a part-time poet, lol! I don't know who did write it, wasn't me though! Hope you enjoy it!  
  
Stupidaznkid: thanks! I will consider your suggestion, thank you! Any other tips?  
  
hippyman69: lol! And I thought I was a little mad! Gee! Lol! ;-) do you have this story on your fave list? Aww, that's so sweet . thanks! It's nice to hear that people enjoy my stories! Please keep reviewing!  
  
Heather: hiya! I'm glad that you like my pairings, r/hr rock my socks! Woo! (and so do h/c) Lol!  
  
Kurt Cobain: I am writing more! Hee hee .  
  
indigal: I am trying to update more often now that it's the summer hols, so you should get the next chapter quite soon!  
  
There you go! Hope I didn't miss any1 out, if I did I'm so sorry! Please tell me and I will try to remember next time!  
  
Anyhoo, on with the fic!  
  
Chapter 5 (I made a mistake last time, that's actually chapter 4!)  
  
Hogwarts seemed to be buzzing with the idea of having a ball. Everywhere Harry went, at least one gang of people seemed to be talking about it. Meanwhile, one day, Ron rushed up to Harry looking thoroughly gleeful about something.  
  
"Hey, Harry! Guess what?! She said yes!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"She said yes! Hermione said yes!"  
  
"Wh - oh! Oh, great!"  
  
Fred and George, who had been sitting nearby, smirked.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry was staying at Hogwarts for Christmas again this year, whereas Cho was going home. Harry didn't mind too much, as it was only two weeks or so and they would see each other again after term started. After spending a day throwing snowballs at each other (Harry had been surprised at how easily she could dodge them), they had retreated to the Room of Requirement (as being from different houses, they couldn't go to their common rooms), which was this time, displayed with a crackling fire and a few squashy sofas and armchairs. They were talking quite animatedly, when the subject came to the Christmas Ball.  
  
"Cho, what are you wearing to the ball?"  
  
Cho eyed Harry suspiciously.  
  
"Why do you want to know?"  
  
"I was just wondering, that's all."  
  
Cho smirked. "You'll have to wait and see, won't you?"  
  
"Ahh, go on! At least tell me what colour it is!"  
  
Cho shook her head defiantly. "No."  
  
Harry sighed, admitting defeat, when he suddenly thought of something.  
  
"What if another girl wants to dance with me."  
  
Cho smiled teasingly. "What if another boy want to dance with *me*?"  
  
"Well, I'd get all jealous, wouldn't I? I don't like sharing my girlfriends!"  
  
Cho rolled her eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
The night of the ball was upon them. Harry put on his green dress robes, while Ron on his right was worrying about how his hair looked.  
  
"Oh no! What do I do? Look, that little tuft there - " Ron groaned.  
  
"Ron, it's always been like that. Relax!"  
  
"But look! And I've got that great big crease down the side of my robes!"  
  
"I can't see anything! Honestly, Ron, you look fine! Now come on, I think we should go down now."  
  
They descended down the staircase into the common room, and spotted Hermione, looking very pretty in a pale lilac dress. Even Harry, who had never considered their relationship as anything more than platonic, had to admit she looked good. Ron however, was beside himself. His jaw dropped and his eyes popped.  
  
"Oh, there you are . what took you so long?"  
  
"Uh . " stuttered Ron. Harry elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"I mean . uh . you look . uh . nice!"  
  
Hermione smiled. "Thanks, Ron. Shall we go down then? Where are you meeting Cho?"  
  
"In the entrance hall."  
  
"Oh. Come on, then."  
  
* * *  
  
Harry tried to see if Cho had arrived. Most people had already gone into the Great Hall, including Ron and Hermione. However, soon he spotted her on the marble staircase. His reaction was the same as Ron's to Hermione.  
  
"I . uh . wow! You look . umm .really good!"  
  
She was wearing a red dress that had no straps and went down so that it just brushed the floor. Her hair was down, and she was carrying a fan with a fluffy red lining to match.  
  
"You don't look so bad yourself, Mr. Potter." She smiled.  
  
"Shall we go in, Miss. Chang?" said Harry, playing along.  
  
She smiled. Harry took that for a yes.  
  
* * *  
  
Cho fanned herself lightly, watching the other people dance.  
  
"Here you are," said Harry, coming over and handing her a drink. She smiled at him.  
  
"Thanks," she said, taking a sip. They were engaged in conversation, when they had an interruption.  
  
"Excuse me," said a voice. "Would you like to dance?"  
  
Harry looked up to see Roger Davies.  
  
"You don't mind, do you, Harry?" asked Cho.  
  
"Oh! No, of course not."  
  
Cho left, but he soon had a new distraction. Ron and Hermione were sat in a far corner, out of sight of most distractions. They seemed rather *busy* to Harry.  
  
"Yes! It worked!" said a voice. Harry looked to see Fred and George joining him at the table.  
  
"What did?"  
  
"You know, those two!"  
  
"What did you do?" Harry asked suspiciously.  
  
"Well, lets say we gave them a little prod in the right direction."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. He could only begin to imagine what those two had done.  
  
* * *  
  
The night went rather well, on the whole, though Harry as he waved to Cho as she got on the Hogwarts Express. At least it got Ron and Hermione together. The train sped off into the distance. Little did he know that the Christmas holiday and what would happen to Cho during her time away would change everything.  
  
A/N: So there we are! Another chapter! Please review! Constructive criticism welcome, any tips are also appreciated! Keep reviewing! I will get the next chapter up and running soon. Bye! 


	7. Chapter 6

Whenever You Call  
  
By Venus  
  
Disclaimer: Oof . . . get off . . . not mine . . . don't sue . . . oof . . . my . . . head . . . ouch . . .  
  
A/N: Soo . . . how is everybody today? Me? I'm a hop, skip and a jump away from complete bliss. You?  
  
Anyhoo . . . I hope you are all enjoying the fic, hmm? ok, maybe not . . . By the way, I know that I've put tragedy as the second genre, and I know it doesn't seem very sad yet, but trust me, it'll have a sad ending (for some reason, I love bawling my eyes out at sad stories and films, which is odd cos I'm usually a cheerful person). . . hopefully it'll be a tear-jerker, but I guess it depends on how well I write it. Ah well. I'll try my best.  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed , I appreciate your comments. Please keep reviewing!  
  
Chapter 6  
  
"Cho! You're here! Oh, welcome home . . . did you have a good term? I heard there was a ball, how was that?"  
  
"It was great! But . . . I have some news for you. I would have owled you, but I thought it would be better for me to tell you in person," said Cho, after she had lugged her trunk up into her room and settled herself in the living room.  
  
"Oh yes?" replied her mother. "What's that, then?"  
  
"I've got a boyfriend," said Cho, starting to grin.  
  
"Oh, really?! Who is he? What's he like?"  
  
"It's Harry. Harry Potter. He's really nice, he took me to the ball."  
  
Her mother's smile flickered somewhat, to be replaced by a rather forced, strained one.  
  
"Oh . . . that's nice, Cho."  
  
"Why? What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh, nothing, nothing," said her mother hastily. "Why don't you go upstairs and unpack?"  
  
Cho left the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother going into the kitchen where her father was. She heard an indistinct murmur of conversation, before she went into her room and shut the door. Why was her mother acting so strangely just because she had a boyfriend? Did she have something against Harry? She sat down on her bed, lost in thought. It could be because of what happened to Cedric . . . maybe her mother just didn't want her to get hurt again. Yes, she thought. Yes, that was it. Getting up from her bed, he slowly made her way to her trunk and began to unpack.  
  
* * *  
  
Cho made her way downstairs, where she went into the living room where her parents were. They were talking, but stopped abruptly when she entered the room.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Nothing!"  
  
Cho raised her eyebrows. She saw her mother and father exchange looks.  
  
"Just business, Cho. Okay?"  
  
Cho nodded, as she knew it would be unwise to pursue the subject. She got out a book that she had brought down with her, and started reading. (A/N: hey, she is a Ravenclaw!) Cho LOVED reading. Books took her to places where neither time nor space mattered, where she could escape the realities of life. Harry had once told her that she was nearly as bad as Hermione, to which she had just rolled her eyes. The difference between her and Hermione was that while Hermione liked textbooks and things to help with her homework, Cho preferred fiction. The truth was that books were something in which to aid her imagination to go completely wild, and she loved it. She especially liked romance stories. She had seen a lot of them turned into films, a muggle pastime, and she had regularly gone to see them at the cinema. She had often cried her eyes out at films, particularly at Titanic and A Walk To Remember. She curled herself up on the armchair, and soon was lost in a fantasy world . . .  
  
* * *  
  
Cho's parents continued to act strangely all through the holiday. She wondered why they were behaving like that, but told herself that if it was anything important, they would have told her. Soon enough, the day before she was due to go back to Hogwarts, she found two parents confronting her.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Cho's father looked at her mother, before replying,  
  
"Your mother has told me about your - relationship with Harry Potter."  
  
"Oh . . . so?" said Cho, wondering what on earth this could possibly be about.  
  
"Well, you see . . . we're not comfortable with it."  
  
"What?! Why?"  
  
Again, her parents exchanged that look, making Cho feel more and more annoyed by the second. They had liked Cedric, so what was the big idea?  
  
"We don't want you to get hurt again," said her mother.  
  
"Well, Harry's not Cedric! And besides, isn't it better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all?"  
  
"Well, yes, I suppose, but that is beside the point."  
  
"It is not! How is that beside the point?!" cried Cho. She was *really* annoyed now, and to make her temper hotter, her parents again exchanged that glance, but this time, she saw her mother nod very slightly.  
  
"It's not just that . . . we are worried that it may ruin your chances."  
  
"My chances? Of what? Getting a good score on my NEWTs? If it is, then don't worry, I've got that sorted."  
  
Her father sighed.  
  
"Not just that. The Dark Lord does not like Harry Potter."  
  
"What?! I know he doesn't, but what's that got to do with anything?"  
  
"Well, he may be . . . reluctant to let someone to let someone who he knows befriended Harry Potter in any sort of way join."  
  
"Join? Join what?" said Cho, her heart starting to thump.  
  
"Join his Death Eaters," replied her father, a manic smile beginning to spread across his features that Cho definitely didn't like.  
  
"D-death eaters? B-but what's that g-got to do with anything?" Asked Cho wildly, positively terrified.  
  
"Oh, that's got everything to do with it . . ." said her mother, an evil smile also spreading on her face.  
  
"W-what are you talking about?"  
  
What happened next made Cho completely convinced that her life ended right there and then.  
  
Her mother and her father both rolled up their left sleeve. There on their forearm, was the most repulsive sight Cho had ever seen. The Dark Mark.  
  
A/N: ooh, cliffy! Am I evil or what?! So, what do you think? Good, or far- fetched? Review! 


	8. Chapter 7

Whenever You Call  
  
By Venus  
  
A/N: Hello again! Okay, first of all thanks to everyone who reviewed - I really appreciate your comments. Please keep reviewing! Also, I haven't been able to go online much lately cos my parents are worried about the viruses that have been up and about recently. That's about it. On with the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: booo-ring . . . don't own anything except the plot . . .   
  
Chapter 8  
  
Cho didn't believe it.  
  
Her parents - parents who had looked after her for 17 years, parents who had watched her take her first steps, parents who had listened to her saying her first word, parents who had been with her when she received her Hogwarts letter all those years ago - her parents were Death Eaters.  
  
"No . . ." she whispered, backing away.  
  
"Oh yes," said her mother. "Very much so. We - that is to say, your father and I - are Death Eaters, and proud to be so."  
  
"And I should think you will be too, when you join."  
  
Cho froze.  
  
"When I - what?!"  
  
"When you join. We have told the Dark Lord much about you . . . he has been watching you from afar. . . he is looking forward to seeing you in person. He says that it has been a long time since there was a pretty face in his Death Eaters. Azkaban did away with most of their looks," said her mother carelessly.  
  
"No . . ." whispered Cho. "No . . . I'll never join. Never. Do you hear me? NEVER!" she shouted, surprised at herself by her sudden outburst.  
  
"Oh yes . . . yes, yes, yes. If you don't . . ."  
  
"If I don't? Then what?"  
  
"Then . . . well, let's say your beloved Harry Potter's mudblood friend shall have . . . shall we say, a nasty little accident," sneered her father.  
  
Cho froze. She knew how much Harry's friends meant to him. . . they were, after all, all he had left in the world. His mother, his father, and his godfather too, all had been taken away from him. And Hermione was a good person . . . she had never done anything to harm anyone . . . she didn't deserve to be killed.  
  
"You are to finish your relationship with Harry Potter. Do you hear?"  
  
"And if I don't?" said Cho, dreading the answer.  
  
"The same thing will happen as if you don't join," replied her father, his lip curling.  
  
Cho swallowed. She knew what she had to do. There was no other way.  
  
* * *  
  
A/N: I hate to leave it there and so short, but I am looking for a beta- reader who can help me write tragedy and angst. To apply, you must write the next chapter(s) (depending on how much you want to write) of Whenever You Call, and email it to me. The beta-reader will obviously read my writing before I publish it and help me edit it, but my decision will be final. I will send an email to the person I have selected when I have chosen, telling them about it in more detail. In the meantime, please review! 


	9. Chapter 8

Whenever You Call  
  
Chapter 8  
  
A/N: thanks to all the people who reviewed sorry this took so long!  
  
Disclaimer: don't own harry potter . . . blah blah blah  
  
Cho tossed and turned all night. So many thoughts raced through her head like the Hogwarts Express. She tried to fall asleep. Maybe she'd wake up in the morning to find that it was all just a bad dream. But it wasn't. It wasn't. . .  
  
* * * She was at Platform 9 ¾ again. It was so familiar, yet so distant. It was hard to believe that a few days ago, the main worry in her life was what she was going to get Harry for Christmas. The noise was unbearable. Owls hooting. . . mothers calling goodbyes to their children. . . '  
  
Look after yourself, now.'  
  
'Bye! I love you!'  
  
'I'll send anything you've forgotten in the post!'  
  
She shut her eyes as she remembered her own mother's farewell.  
  
"Don't let me down, Cho."  
  
A single tear rolled down her cheek as she sat down inside the train. She felt alone. . . so alone.  
  
* * *  
  
"Cho! How was your Christmas?"  
  
"Huh? Oh. . ." for a moment she was going to open her mouth and pour out all her troubles to Harry. . . tell him how miserable she was, how she was going to become a Death Eater whether she liked it or not, and worst of all, what she had to do to their relationship. Instead, she forced her face to smile, and said as genuinely as she could,  
  
"Fine. How was yours?"  
  
"OK, I guess, but it wasn't the same without you." Harry's brilliant green eyes sparkled at her, making her feel even worse.  
  
"Yeah. . . listen, I'm kind of tired. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"  
  
"Oh. . . OK," said Harry, looking a little surprised.  
  
She smiled at him, before heading off to her dormitory. There's something different about her, Harry thought. Something's changed. . .  
  
* * *  
  
Cho breathed a sigh of relief as she reached the quiet sanctuary of her dormitory. What's happened to me? She wondered. She gazed out of the window at the stars like she had done, so long ago. Those times felt so distant. She shut her eyes. Her tears fell freely, burning her skin like acid. I'm breaking...she thought.  
  
* * *  
  
The next few days seemed to last for weeks. People whispered about her in corridors, people fell out with her because of her constant brooding. In fact, only two people seemed to remain faithful to her. Her best friend Marietta, and Harry, which made her feel, if possible even worse. Finally, even Marietta seemed to have had enough, and demanded the truth from Cho one night in an empty classroom.  
  
"What's wrong? And don't say nothing because I know you better than that," said Marietta.  
  
"Nothing! It's just. . . I can't say."  
  
"What can't you say? Why?"  
  
"Because you'll hate me," Cho whispered.  
  
"No I won't. Besides – how will you know if you don't tell me?"  
  
Cho remained silent. She avoided Marietta's piercing gaze.  
  
"Cho! Tell me! I might be able to help."  
  
Cho finally lifted her head and looked at Marietta.  
  
"You can't help me," she whispered.  
  
"Well, TELL me!" exploded Marietta. "Because I'm telling you, people are starting to hate you, Cho, with your constant moodiness and all this doom and gloom talk! You've been like this ever since you got back from Christmas break! What is WRONG with you?"  
  
Her words stung. Cho knew it was true, of course, but to actually hear it from her best friend was far, far worse. She began to cry.  
  
"Oh, here we go again. Turn on the waterworks, why don't you?!"  
  
Marietta's expression suddenly changed.  
  
"Oh, Cho. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. But you have to tell me. I'm your friend, Cho. Friends tell each other things. Don't they?"  
  
Cho considered it for a while. She remembered what her parents had said. But then again, Marietta was right. Her list of friends was growing thin, and Marietta had been her friend since her first year.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well?"  
  
The silence was deafening. Finally, she said,  
  
"My parents are Death Eaters."  
  
She couldn't look Marietta in the eye.  
  
"And they want me to be one too," she sobbed. She tried to stay in control, but before she knew it, everything she had felt in the last couple of months came pouring out. . . all the pain, the confusion, the disbelief and worst of all, what she had to do to Harry.  
  
". . . and I can't do that to him, I can't, it's not fair, I don't want to be a Death Eater, I don't want Hermione Granger to die, I don't want Harry to die, I don't want to die." She broke off, sobbing.  
  
"Oh, Cho."  
  
She hugged her, listening to Cho's piteous weeping.  
  
Just then, someone walked in. Someone with glasses, messy black hair, and sparkling jade eyes.  
  
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated for so long! Sorry! ducks under desk to avoid paper balls being thrown Anyway, another cliffie, mwahaha! I think I'm getting the hang of this! Please send me an email if you want to be my beta, my address if venus_5_91@yahoo.co.uk . Please review! I'll try and update sooner next time! 


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